Americans look to "insiders" to reveal the doings of corrupt corporate and government officials. However, depending on "insiders" deflects from understanding the systematic nature of corporate and government policies. Bill Boisvert examines these issues through a critical review of Daniel Ellsberg's "Secrets: A Memoir of Vietnam & Pentagon Papers."

The efforts of the Bush administration to take control of Iraq--by war, military coup or some other means--have elicited various analyses of the guiding motives. Anatol Lieven of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace suggests that "unilateral world domination through absolute military superiority" is the goal--a frightening scenario. Satirically, Noam Chomsky suggests another approach--let Iran "liberate" Iraq--equally insane.

A federal agency, the Transport Security Administration, confirms that it maintains an air-travel blacklist of 1,000 people. This raises the concern of peace activists and civil libertarians. Dave Lindorff reports.

Sarah Graham-Brown, author of Sanctioning Saddam, and Chris Toensing, editor of Middle East Report, analyze the background to the U.S.'s drive for war against Iraq. Includes a timeline, discussion of oil resources, and the Bush doctrine of preemptive strike.

Phyllis Bennis, Institute of Policy Studies and author of "Before and After: U.S. Foreign Policy & the September 11 Crisis," Dennis Halliday, former U.N. Assistant Secretary General, and others analyze the United Nations Security Council Resolution 1441 (directed against Iraq) as adopted November 8, 2002.

According to Middle East expert Robert Fisk, the Bin Laden tape is legit. But Fisk asks where on earth is he, and why has he resurfaced now?

Patricio Ríos, the head of the Chilean air force, resigned in October after covering up information on political prisoners meant for an investigation into the Pinochet military dictatorship. Now, Chile's so-called 'economic 'miracle' is put at risk. Nina Reyes Morales reports.

Israeli government funding for settlements in the occupied territories has long been condemned by the United Nations. Now Israel is building a security barrier around the West Bank and Jerusalem, greater in size than the Berlin Wall. Matthew Brubacher reports.